Aeroplane-speed accelerator.



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AERQPLANE SPEED ACCELERATOR.

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' APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I', I911. 1,289,343, Patented 1160. 31, 1918.

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y ALBERT WOLFE, J'B., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

AEROPIJANE-SPEED ACCELERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 311, 1918.

Substitute for application Serial No. 165,214, filed April 28, 1917. This application filed August 21, 1917.

. Serial No. 187,713.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT VVoLFF, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aeroplane-Speed Accelerators, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes wherein a plurality of vanes arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane operate in conjunction with propellers arranged at a greater angle to produce a forward pressure on said planes; and the objects of my invention are- F irst, to provide improved means for accelleratin'g the speed of aeroplanes and the li re Second, to provide improved means for utilizing the draft or current from the propelling means of an aeroplane to produce an increased forward pressure on said 'aero plane.

I accomplish these several objects by means of the preferred form of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which A Figure 1 is a side elevation of an aeroplane disclosing my improved device attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 with a p01,- tion of the top plane broken away to disclose the diverging arrangement of the de vice;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of the invention disclosing horizontally arranged planes Fig. 5 is a. still further modified form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 4 with a portion of the top plane broken away to disclose the single group of horizontal vanes; an

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate the usual planes of an aeroplane. Secured between the planes 1 I have provided in the preferred form of the invention a group of vertically disposed longitudinal planes 2 arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane and diverging rearwardly.

In front of each group of planes 2 I have provided a propeller 3 having an axis or shaft 4 arranged at a greater angle to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane than the vertical planes 2 whereby the current or draft from the said propellers 3 will strike the planes 2 at an angle.

The principle on which this invention operates is similar to the principle or law involved when a ship is tacking windward.

In this case the wind passes from the front of the ship to the rear striking the sails at an angle thereby exerting a constant pressure upon said sails which through the rudder is transmitted into a forward longitudinal movement of the ship.

In the present invention the currents from the propellers strike the planes at an angle and thereby exert a pressure which tends to accelerate the forward movement or speed of the aeroplane.

As the planes 2 diverge it is evident that any side play or drift produced by one pro peller on one group or set of planes 2 will be offset by an equal pressure'from the other propeller which is set at the same angle but in an opposite direction.

In Fig. at I have disclosed a modification of the invention wherein a single group of horizontally disposed planes 7 are arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane. In this arrangement the same result will be obtained. The action of the single propeller 3 to raise or elevate the aeroplane above its forward or longitudinal path will be offset by the action of gravity.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a still further modification wherein two sets of horizontally disposed planes 8 are arranged one in front of the other and at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane. In this form the rear set of planes is offset from the forward set so that after the current from the propeller 3 leaves the said forward set the rear set is encountered and acted upon by said current.

The horizontally arranged longitudinal planes 7 and 8 are designed for use in aeroplanes where a single propeller is used as vertical planes under such circumstances would tend to cause a lateral or side drift of said aeroplane.

It is obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improved means for accelerating the forward movement or speed of an aeroplane.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1 In an aeroplane, a plurality of longitudinally extending planes arran ed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane; and a propeller at one end of said planes and having an axis arranged at a greater angle to said longitudinal axis than said planes, whereby the current from said propeller strikes the planes at an angle.

2. In an aeroplane, a plurality of longitudinally extending vertical planes arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane; and a propeller at one end of said planes and having an axis arranged at a greater angle to said longitudinal axis than said vertical planes, whereby the current from said propeller strikes the planes at an angle.

3. In an aeroplane, a group of longitudinally extending vertical planes, arranged at each side of the central longitudinal axis of the aeroplane and diverging rearwardly therefrom; and a propeller at the front end of each group, said propellers having axes diverging rearwardly at a greater angle than said planes whereby the drafts from said propellers strikes the planes at an angle. y

In witness whereof I hereunto set my signature.

. ALBERT WOLFE, JR. 

